The present invention relates to video camera equipped medical diagnostic instruments, and is directed more particularly to a video connector assembly which facilitates the connection, disconnection and interchange of video camera devices to, from, and between such instruments.
As video imaging devices, particularly video imaging devices of the charge coupled or CCD type, have become smaller, more reliable and less expensive, it has become feasible to equip a wide variety of medical diagnostc instruments for use with video cameras. Among the many instruments which have been equipped in this way are otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, episcopes, and sigmoidoscopes, among others. Examples of instruments of this type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,773 (Hibino et al.);U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,495 (Tohjoh); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,054 (Adair).
In many instruments of the above-described type which were known or used prior to the present invention, it was common practice to design an instrument to operate with a single imaging system and to build that imaging system into the instrument as an integral, dedicated part thereof. In many instruments of the latter type, such as those described in the above cited Tohjoh et al. patent and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,943 (Fort), little concern was shown for using the video imaging system with other instruments or even for providing the imaging system with a detachable connector plug.
In other instruments of the above-described type which were known or used prior to the invention, the video imaging system was provided with a detachable connector plug, but not for the purpose of making the imaging system usable with different instruments. An example of an instrument of the latter type is shown in Japanese Kokai 63-304221, published Dec. 12, 1988 (Okabe).
None of the instruments or instrument systems known prior to the present invention, however, has included a video camera head which may be used as a compact, cordless module which may be easily connected, disconnected and interchanged. More particularly, no prior art instrument has included a video camera head having an imaging or input end which may be easily attached to and detached from any of a variety of different instruments, and having an output end with a connector assembly which may be easily attached to and detached from the video cable that conducts electrical signals to and from the video head. As a result, video camera heads used prior to the invention have been encumbered by video cables which make them inconvenient to handle, interchange, disassemble for servicing, or pack and unpack for transport.